With Fall Looming, DPHHS Director Tells Unvaccinated ‘Now is the Time’ for Shot

A state report released last week confirmed that unvaccinated people are driving Montana’s recent “exponential growth” in COVID-19 cases, as well as hospitalizations, while providing further demographic details about both recent and overall pandemic data. 

An Aug. 5 press release announcing the report also noted that the state saw an 18% increase in first-dose vaccine administration during the week of July 23-30. That came on the heels of a decline in first doses in June and early July. 

“This is an encouraging sign to see that more people are deciding to get vaccinated, and I hope this trend continues in the coming weeks,” Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Adam Meier said.

The state data wasn’t broken down by county, but local officials have anecdotally noted at least a small uptick in walk-ins seeking a first dose in recent weeks at the Flathead City-County Health Department. 

National, state and local health officials all say vaccination is the most critical key in combatting COVID-19. Across the country, unvaccinated patients account for more than 90% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, a trend that is roughly mirrored in the recent state report.

According to state data, unvaccinated individuals accounted for 89% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations and 78% of deaths in Montana between June 5 and July 30, albeit with a relatively small sample size of 41 deaths. The hospitalizations from that eight-week window included an age range from 1 to 97, with a median age of 64.

Since breakthrough case surveillance began on Feb. 15, the report notes that the state had documented, as of July 30, only 788 cases of breakthrough infection in vaccinated individuals, accounting for 4% of all cases. Of those cases, 9% were hospitalized and 2% died.

“This data illustrates just how effective the COVID-19 vaccine is in preventing serious illness when you consider how far we’ve come since the vaccine first became available,” Meier said. 

“The data is also a reminder of how important it is to get vaccinated,” he added. “This is now a vaccine-preventable disease, and the last thing we want to see are more cases and hospitalizations. The COVID-19 vaccine is the best tool we have to prevent serious illness and hospitalization. The fall and winter months are just around the corner. Now is the time to get the vaccine.” 

DPHHS reports that Montana’s vaccination rate of 48% among the eligible population “mirrors the rest of the country,” although the rate varies considerably on a county-by-county basis, including among the most populated counties where the lion’s share of cases occur. Missoula leads with 61% of its eligible population fully immunized, while Lincoln and Flathead rank last among the state’s 10 most populated counties with full immunization rates of 38% and 40%, respectively, according to state data.

A foremost priority among health officials is vaccinating the most vulnerable populations, including older residents. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lewis and Clark, Missoula, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Silver Bow and Lake counties all have fully vaccinated rates above 80% among those 65 and older. 

Cascade isn’t far behind at 76%, while Ravalli comes in at 70% among residents 65 and older. Meanwhile, Flathead County’s full vaccination rate for that demographic lags significantly at 61%, followed by Lincoln at 49%.

Statewide, Meier with DPHHS said 74% of Montanans 60 and older are fully vaccinated.

Acting State Medical Director Maggie Cook-Shimanek said while vaccinating the most vulnerable is critical, all eligible people should get the vaccine. 

“While we know the older population and those with underlying medical conditions have required hospitalization more often from COVID-19, it’s important for all individuals to get the vaccine to limit the spread in Montana,” Cook-Shimanek said. 

“As it spreads, the virus replicates and creates new variants, which have the potential to increase transmission and cause more infections,” she continued. “That has been the case with the Delta variant in recent months. The COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to keep you and your family safe.”

By the metrics of both cases per 100,000 people and test positivity rate, Flathead County is at a high level of community transmission, according to the CDC. The county, as of Aug 11, had almost twice as many active cases (648) as the next closest county, Yellowstone, which had 355.

Due to the Delta variant, medical officials nationwide are reporting an increase in younger COVID-19 patients who are either ending up in the hospital or dying from the virus, as compared to when other variants were predominant earlier in the pandemic. Logan Health has reported a similar trend, albeit anecdotally without hard data.

The state report, which included data current as of July 30, provided a demographic analysis of all COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, but not data specific to the recent Delta-fueled surge. 

Overall, the median age of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Montana is 69. Of the patients with data available, 74% have indicated they had at least one pre-existing condition, with hypertension (35%) and diabetes (24%) the most commonly reported.

Among the state’s total 1,708 COVID-19 deaths at the time of the report, the deceased ranged in age from 29 to 103, with a median age of 79. Among those for whom data was available, 76% had at least one preexisting condition, with hypertension (37%) and diabetes (24%) the most common.

The state added 18 COVID-19 deaths between July 30 and Aug. 11, bringing the total to 1,726. Flathead County has 111 total deaths, including six in July, and 25 current hospitalizations as of Aug. 10. The local health department has been receiving more than 100 calls per day to its COVID line.

Hospitalizations have been steadily increasing statewide, registering at 164 on Aug. 9, although the state is far from its peak of averaging 427 COVID-19 hospitalizations in November.